United Airlines has a much broader worldwide route network than other U.S. airlines, and so must deal with far more regulations and local conditions. The United safety video says “Flight attendants will ask you to stow devices for certain international destinations.”
There are some international destinations that have limited use of inflight internet while in their airspace, and that have even limited use of seatback entertainment. But the particular restriction on device usage that most interests me is an international destination that the FAA (and Postal Service, FCC, FDIC and several other federal agencies) actually treats as domestic: Bucholz Army Airfield on Kwajalein Atoll, Marshall Islands.
. @LukeW9257 hey now Luke, I’ll try and post more here. Mostly Airport, Aircraft and Aerospace stuff here. (pictured is PKWA in the Pacific) pic.twitter.com/7wjNmLTlQp
— Runway Wayne LLC (@RunwayWayne) September 21, 2022
United’s Island Hopper route was launched in 1968 as Air Micronesia in partnership with Continental Airlines. Continental Micronesia became part of United Airlines with the 2012 merger. The 737 has four pilots and flight attendants receive duty time exemption from the FAA. Mechanics and parts travel with the aircraft. Short runways mean fire trucks are ready to cool brakes and tires after landing. The front rows of coach collapse to accommodate medevac stretchers.
The “Island Hopper” route connects Honolulu and Guam via intermediary islands, often operating as one of the only links for air travel and cargo in those remote locations and delivers mail and medical supplies.
The total time from Honolulu to Guam, including ground time, is about 16 hours. The Honolulu – Majuro flight is the longest at over four hours. Through passengers can deplane at each stop except for Kwajalein Atolls. In fact, photography is not permitted and window shades must be closed on the ground.
Bucholz Army Airfield on Kwajalein is restricted military installation. In order to set foot on Kwajalein, one must have prior military authorization and a local sponsor – something ordinary travelers don’t possess. Passengers without this clearance cannot be boarded on the segment destined for KWA.
Eareckson Air Station on Shmeya Island in the Aleutians and Bucholz Army Airfield on Kwajalein in the Marshall Islands are some other alternatives closer to the Western Pacific than Honolulu. pic.twitter.com/UZIZdZED9M
— Kartuli Cthulhu (@UnspeakablChaos) August 3, 2022
For those simply transiting onward to other islands, Kwajalein is treated as a technical stop only. The aircraft will land and service at Bucholz Field, but unauthorized travelers must remain on board – effectively, they have “not entered” the Marshall Islands or the base. This procedure ensures no un-cleared person sets foot on the sensitive installation. Additional restrictions during the KWA stop are in place due to base security protocols.
- Typically, transit passengers must stay in their seats or a designated area on the plane while refueling and handling take place.
- Only those passengers authorized to enter Kwajalein (such as base personnel or contractors ending their journey at KWA) may deplane under escort.
- There is no open terminal to wander – the airfield is inside a gated military area.
- Photography out the windows or of the base infrastructure is generally discouraged or forbidden, as is any attempt to exit the aircraft without permission.
Credit: U.S. Army Garrison Kwajalein Atoll
Bucholz Army Airfield is unique because it exists entirely within a U.S. military installation on foreign soil. Kwajalein Atoll is part of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, but under the Compact of Free Association the U.S. leases several islands for defense purposes. Kwajalein Island (where Bucholz AAF is located) is one of 11 islets leased by the U.S. as part of the Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site. (The local Marshallese population is not allowed to live on Kwajalein Island; many reside on nearby Ebeye Island, with Kwajalein is reserved for the U.S. Army and its contractors.)
- Roi-Namur island on the north end of the atoll houses several giant radar domes that monitor missile tests and track objects in space.
- The U.S. periodically launches unarmed ICBMs from California to impact near Kwajalein, where sensors measure their accuracy, and intercept tests (launching missiles from Kwaj to hit incoming targets or vice versa) take place as well.
- The equatorial location (9° North latitude) of Kwajalein Atoll is advantageous for some space launches. SpaceX established a launch pad on Omelek Island (an uninhabited leased islet) to launch its early Falcon 1 rockets and achieved its first ever successful orbital launch there in 2008.
Took a ferry tonight to Ebeye, Marshall Islands. It’s less than a sq mile and about 9,000 people live there. Ferry runs about 25-30 times a day from Kwajalein Island pic.twitter.com/c7jc78pwgR
— Denis Beganovic (@Beganovic2025) March 5, 2025
The base does not entertain tourists and the only hotel (“Kwaj Lodge”) is for transient workers or official visitors only. Apparently, though, exceptions can be made to allow passengers to disembark during long mechanic delays of the flight.
So @united posted about the Island Hopper on Instagram. Not only have I flown it, but I got stuck on the one island that only authorized personnel are allowed on, Kwajalein. pic.twitter.com/tNGXDKOOOF
— Stephan Segraves (@ssegraves) September 3, 2018
I’ve been there! Such a cool place! An hour later I’d be stuck in Kwajalein for 12 hours with @WandrMe pic.twitter.com/HITj1NLOS0
— Stephan Segraves (@ssegraves) September 5, 2021
If you don’t have an emergency landing and get a passport stamp in Kwajalein, then it doesn’t really count If you see the onboard mechanic, Sherman (“the Sherminator”), please say hello! pic.twitter.com/R5UDhtLPJw
— Michael (@real_jetsetr) January 19, 2018
The secrecy and remoteness of Kwajalein Atoll has bred theories of additional activities going on at the destination. Some passengers find the brief stop tense. Passengers report soldiers on the tarmac, guarding the plane as it refuels. And it’s sometimes referred to as “Area 51 of the Pacific.” The existence of giant radar spheres, missile interceptors and launch pads leads to theories of weather control devices and UFO tracking.
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